Fitness Concept

This company really came through on their customer service…I bought a $3,800 elliptical that had a defect, forcing a recall. I was really pissed off after having spent so much money to get a quality piece of equipment that wouldn’t break down all the time. The owner sent out a loaner until the replacement came in from the factory…really amazing to know the company will stand behind their product and actually believe in service and value the customer service, not just the quick sale. more

Stopped by to look at some equipment and was essentially confronted by an, to be charitable, aggressive salesperson (the owner??)...it took 30 seconds for me to decide that I wouldn't consider buying anything from this guy--he was rude and condescending...it's amazing that he's able to stay in business. more

My wife and I have bought several pieces of exercise equipment from Alex, at Fitness Concept, in the past ten years. We have always experienced friendly, helpful assistance from a a real expert; always found the pricing competitive; and always received prompt, professional delivery and exceptional service when required. This little store is chock-full of top-of-the-line machines and equipment of every conceivable kind, and is run by a local businessman who really cares about--and takes good care of--his customers. Fitness Concept is a superb example of what small business can be when it's done right. Pros: Knowledgeable, Helpful, Competitive Pricing Cons: A little crowded, but that means *lots* of great stuff. more

I came in looking for an elliptical to help me with my back, and I was really impressed with what I found. The selection was huge, and the guy (the owner?) who helped me really seemed to know his stuff. He spent a lot of time with me explaining all the options, and I ended up getting not only an elliptical (by Octane) but a foam roller, a DVD and a book as well. \r \r Also, apparently the store does their own servicing within 24 hours, which was important to me - my friend bought a treadmill from Sears, and had a lot of problems with it and them. \r \r He seemed a little brusque at first, but I got the impression that he was just trying to get to the heart of the issue…he was really helpful, and I felt I was getting the best advice available.\r \r \r Pros: Everything under the sun, and new stuff all the time more

My partner and I went to San Rafael specifically to try the Sports Art ellipticals. I can't really comment about the customer service because they seemed ok but I was extremely impressed with the Sports Art E82 model - especially compared with the Precors which we had already written-off due to their lack of stride-adjustment which is Sports Art's specialty. \r The E82 features a variable stride length between 16"" - 26"" which is great because my partner is fairly short and I much taller. Unfortunately, typical home ellipticals just don't work for us. \r When I checked out the Precors, I looked at the EFX5.21i for $3,799 - and that's with a fixed stride-length of 19"" and arms that don't move!\r I then tried the EFX5.33 for $3899, which had moving arms but non-moving ramp and a fixed stride-length of 19""! This was fine for my other half but unfortunately I wanted the longer-stride-option. Perhaps if they could combine the best features of both of these models plus add the stride-adjustment feature we'd be sold; but as it stands now we're going with Sports Art.; they have a lifetime bumper-to-bumper warranty whereas both Precor and Lifefitness give only a couple of years. it was the best overall choice, price included. Pros: Sports Art Fintess ellipticals. Cons: n/a more

I went into this shop on recommendation of my parents who had recently purchased some equipment.\r Salesman was extremely rude and condescending. Didn't even get a chance to ask a second question. Just turned around and walked out of the shop. \r \r Not sure if it was just a bad day for him or he would prefer to deal with 75+yr old senior citizens who, if like my parents, prefer to trust a shop owner's integrity versus thorough research on the Web. I'm not positive, but I believe the main brand carried was SPORTSART . Decent equipment , but with rsome eservations as stated on a top equipment review site - below.\r \r I was looking at model below price around $3300.\r \r ""SportsArt E 82 -The best of the SportsArt elliptical lineup . . . at this price we would buy a Precor.\r The SportsArt E 82 is the most durable of their elliptical lineup. The E 82 has some mechanical and electrical upgrades from the 805 and 807 but the price is almost ridiculous. These machines are typically well built and reliable. Over the long term you will have some problems with the stride control motors. The only problem with this machine is that it should have an MSRP of around $2,499"".\r \r BTW - my parents exercise bike sits in the corner of the room by Orthopedic Surgeons recommendation. more

A friend recommended Fitness Concept to repair my old treadmill. I called them and they sent someone out right away. A couple of years later it finally died and I remember they had a retail store in San Rafael. I went in and was overwhelmed by their vast selection of high-end machines that I had never seen before. \r The staff were very helpful in assisting me in choosing the ideal treadmill for my needs. They were also able to recommend stuff for core training and Yoga. But the main reason I decided to buy from Fitness Concept is because the owner gives a warranty on everything he sells, labor included. Pros: lots of variety, knowledgable staff. Cons: cramped space. more